“This is a terrible idea and a flat-out cave by Donald Trump. You cannot deny constitutional rights to American citizens because the government is suspicious of you,” said conservative talk show host Erick Erickson.

The NRA responded with a tweet of its own:

“Happy to meet @realdonaldtrump. Our position is no guns for terrorists—period. Due process & right to self-defense for law-abiding Americans.”

Happy to meet @realdonaldtrump. Our position is no guns for terrorists—period. Due process & right to self-defense for law-abiding Americans

Before entering the presidential race, Trump long favored restrictions on guns, including the assault weapons ban.

But he has become a staunch defender of the Second Amendment.

“I’m going to save your Second Amendment,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Atlanta.

“If some of those great people who were in that club that night had guns… strapped to their waist or their ankle,” he said, casualties would have been lower.

When Trump accepted the NRA’s endorsement last month, he told the gun group, “The Second Amendment is under a threat like never before. Crooked Hillary Clinton is the most anti-gun … candidate ever to run for office. And, as I said before, she wants to abolish the Second Amendment. She wants to take your guns away. She wants to abolish it.”